Research Facility Support Grants

Call for Proposals for Research Facility Support Grants (RFSG) - March 15, 2019 deadline

RFSG Competition

The Vice-President Research & Innovation has established the Research Facility Support Grants (RFSG) competition to provide funding for the operation, maintenance, repairs or upgrades of equipment used in UBC facilities to support research. The RFSGs are one-year grants of up to $50,000 intended to enhance the research that can be conducted at UBC. Eligible expenses include:

Materials, supplies, and minor upgrades essential to the operation and maintenance of the equipment.

Bridge funding for salaries of technical and professional research support staff employed to operate and maintain the facility and provide assistance to users. The need and justification for any bridge funding should be clearly described, including the nature and timing of currently held and potential future funding.

Researchers located on the UBC Vancouver campus and affiliated hospital sites are invited to submit a proposal (up to a maximum of two pages free-form) along with the lead applicant’s CV. Using quantitative metrics when appropriate, the proposal should describe:

The research supported by the RFSG;

The use of the facility by the research community;

Past and planned contribution of the facility to the training of highly qualified personnel;

A budget and justification for the requested funds, including an explanation of any previous attempts to obtain funding elsewhere.

ELIGIBILITY

Researchers located on the UBC Vancouver campus and affiliated hospital sites are eligible to apply. RFSGs are intended to support research groups (minimum of 3) funded primarily by NSERC, CIHR, and/or SSHRC. To be eligible for this funding opportunity:

The lead applicant must currently hold or have held Tri-Council funding in the past 5 years;

The facility must not currently have other significant resources at its disposal. For example, a CFI facility with more than 20% left in its IOF would be considered ineligible; a large group of well-funded scientists would need to demonstrate the need for extra support.

The facility must not be obsolete or unsupported.

Award details

A total funding envelope of $500,000 is available for this competition, with the expectation that several applications will be funded with a cap of $50,000 per application. Successful applicants will be notified by April 10, and funds will be distributed shortly thereafter. Awards must be spent by March 31, 2020.

Submission Processes

Applications for this funding call and lead applicant’s CV should be submitted online as a single PDF (proposal first, CV second) to the VPRI by the end of day, March 15, 2019.

Assessment Criteria

Demonstrated need for support of the facility for the research programs;

Evidence of research excellence directly supported by the infrastructure. Please restrict evidence to the past 5 years only;

Use of the facility by the UBC research community. Include usage statistics and/or other metrics as appropriate;

Evidence of high-quality training supported by the infrastructure.

Questions should be directed to the Manager, Internal Research Competitions, Stacey Herzer (stacey.herzer@ubc.ca), 604-827-2379.

Timeline

Feb 7, 2019

Competition launch

March 15, 2019, 11:59 pm

Proposals due

Week of April 8, 2019

Panel meeting, notifications

March 31, 2020

All funds must be spent

FAQs

What does bridge funding for salary support mean?

Bridge funding describes a fixed period of support when the grant providing funds for an employee’s salary is ending while funding from a new grant has not yet started or been confirmed. Justifying bridge funding includes providing details on the nature and timing of currently held and potential future funding.

Can I include a quote as an appendix?

Yes if applicable, please include any quotes after the application and before the lead applicant's CV.

Will a report be required at the end of the grant?

No report is required

Do I need to submit an RPIF with the proposal?

You are not required to submit a Research Project Information Form (RPIF) with your RFSG proposal. However, if you are successful in the competition, we will require an RPIF before distributing funds.

Is it possible to apply for an extension to the project?

No. Funds must be spent by the PG end date of March 31, 2020. Any unspent funds will be returned to VPRI.